Providence
residents pack workshop, debate 'single family large'
zone
By Taylor Scott
March 10, 2006 | PROVIDENCE -- Forty people packed
into the Providence City Council chambers Thursday night
for the Providence Planning Commission and City Council
workshop to discuss the rezoning of Providence.
For several months the
city council and the planning commission have talked
about the creation of a single family large (SFL) zone.
Both feel the solutions they have discussed have only
been 'Band-Aids' compared to the large wound that the
city has yet to mend. However, many citizens of Providence
have conflicting ideas of what should be done with the
issue.
Blain Sorenson, planning commissioner said, "The biggest
concern that we have is that some of the things that
have come to us recently is that there are those that
think growth should occur, that growth shouldn't occur,
and those that feel as though we could proceed but at
a slow pace."
At this workshop, Jodi Hoffman, ULCT legislative consultant
(and former attorney for Park City) and Dan Laughlin,
Utah Quality Growth Commission chair, both discussed
with Providence residents the training and incentives
for implementation of quality growth principles and
initiatives.
As both Hoffman and Laughlin spoke they narrowed down
the options to one solution. Both speakers seemed to
agree that the resolution for Providence would be a
"cluster" effect. The cluster is a combination of open
land space and land designated to development. It seemed
that each speaker made sure that Providence officials
knew that when deciding what to do on the rezoning issue
that choices were made in consideration of the future.
"Growth is going to happen, it is going to happen,"
said Hoffman.
After hearing what the presenters had to say, the
planning commission moved on to discussing the SFL zone.
At the conclusion of an hour after hearing what residents
thought should happen and taking into consideration
the speakers remarks, both city council and planning
commission tabled the discussion and within one month
will again convene for a retreat to hash out a final
solution to the rezoning issue. A date was not decided
upon at the meeting.
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